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PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONFERENCE

Harcourt Lewis, Minister of the Environment, Housing and Lands of Barbados, briefed the PrepCom on his government's preparations for the Conference. The Sherbourne Centre, as well as the other locations for the Conference, will be completed and furnished well in advance of the Conference. Arrangements are in progress to identify and reserve the requisite accommodations for the participants. An independent NGO Liaison Committee has been established with responsibility for all aspects of the participation of NGOs in the Conference. The Government of Barbados has also decided to stage an exhibition to run parallel to the Conference. The exhibition, titled "Village of Hope," will include discussions and workshops, thematic displays, and an exhibition of technology, all bearing the theme of sustainable development of SIDS. Two events are also planned for January 1994: a media workshop and an eminent persons meeting.

The next speaker was Nicholas Drayton, Chair of the NGO Liaison Committee, who spoke on behalf of the Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA). CCA is consulting with other NGOs in preparation for the Conference. He urged governments to include NGOs on their delegations. CCA hopes to bring NGO perspectives into the Village of Hope. CCA is also planning the NGO Forum that will convene in advance of the Conference and run concurrently.